


Stars Still Shine Even When They're Dead

by Alimator



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Kissing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-01-05 16:07:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21211328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alimator/pseuds/Alimator
Summary: There are so many stars in the sky.Lots of them are dead.They still shine.They're still there.





	1. Dream One

The moonlight shone through the curtains and the room was bathed in a soft purple hue. It was a beautiful night, not a cloud in the sky, just stars and the moon taking the spotlight. It’s interesting to think that so many of those stars are dead, no light shining from them at all, but still, they were there for all to see, not dead, not yet.

A soft sound woke him up suddenly, he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t that much of a light sleeper to be awoken by every small noise. Propping himself up on an elbow he twisted his body to look around the room. The sound had come from his bedroom door swishing silently open, brushing only slightly against the carpet. 

Then he saw her. The woman was tall and slender. From first glance she looked stiff and cold, if you didn’t know her you would think she was a brick wall, but Gabriel knew her. To him she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her soft jaw, her gentle smile, the one rebellious red streak of hair that reminded one of their younger more youthful days, all of it so stunning. Her eyes, like an ocean, he could drown in them, every so often another wave would crash down in the never ending sea they held. If you imagined the gentle lapping of the water and the sun shining down making it shine, that was the twinkle in her eyes. 

The fabric of her perfectly tailored suit rippled slightly when she walked closer. It wasn’t a dress, but she carried it like it was.

“Nathalie,” he whispered. 

A soft smile, the one she would only wear for him, appeared on her face. She didn’t say a word as she approached him, sitting gently on his bed, he hardly felt it dip. Nathalie leaned in closer and placed her hand on his face soothingly stroking his cheek with her thumb. He relished the feeling of her being near, of her touch. 

They sat like that for a while, neither saying a word, Gabriel drowning in the oceans of her eyes. 

“How are you?” she asked, like a petal dropping from a flower.

“Better now that you’re here,” his voice, compared to hers, sounded gruff and oppressing.

“And Adrien?” she tilted her head slightly when she asked the question. He always thought that was cute. 

“I’m trying my best.”

“I know you are,” if her smile wasn’t already kind it just got kinder.

He sighed, pulling her closer and feeling her warmth. She leaned her head against his chest and he closed his eyes, just trying to be in the moment. Nathalie looked up at him and pressed her lips to his. A kiss that said ‘I love you’.

She pulled away softly, “You have to wake up Gabeep beep beep beep,” her words morphed into a harsh beeping noise.

He inhaled sharply as he awoke from his slumber. Nathalie wasn’t in his arms anymore, he couldn’t remember the feeling of the kiss he had just moments ago. He put his alarm off and turned to see his wife lying next to him. 

Not Nathalie, but Emilie. Nathalie was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Ahh, finally I can go to sleep.
> 
> Brain: Hey, I've got a great Gabnath story!
> 
> Me: No.
> 
> Brain: You know you want to.
> 
> Me: Damn it.


	2. Empty House, Empty Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Depressed Gabe ahead.

Emilie’s soft shadow was burned into his mind as he watched her. Emilie was sleeping peacefully next to him, her arm wrapped around his middle. If any she looked like an angel, but not his...

He couldn’t sleep. His eyes refused to even close. The only sound in the room was that of his breathing. Suddenly very aware of it he tried to soften the sound, but it still sounded too loud, too obnoxiously loud. 

He couldn’t stand it. 

Taking Emilie’s wrist he carefully wriggled out of her grasp, pausing every few seconds to check if she had woken up or not. Her eyes remained shut and with a satisfied sigh, he placed her hand softly on the mattress. With long strides he fled from the room, making sure he closed the door quietly behind him. 

The house seemed hollow, too quiet, too empty. He had thought that Emilie's presence would fill that void, would reinforce the foundations that had slowly rotted away after her disappearance. Now, he wasn’t too sure. His life was like a Rubik’s cube, he thought. It had taken him so long to solve after she had ‘died’, but now that she was here it was as if she had scrambled it and he had to work at it all over again. His fingers desperately trying to work out which way to move and his brain the algorithms, neither of which were coming to him. 

He was in his socks, but still he could hear them softly brushing against the floor. The cold of the tiles felt frigid under his feet. He inhaled deeply and walked in the direction of Adrien’s room. 

He placed his hand on the cold metal knob and turned. Pushing the door ever so slightly open he poked his head inside. Adrien slept as peacefully as Emilie, he was curled up under the sheets. Only a small tuft of blonde hair poked out from underneath the blankets. Gabriel pushed the door fully open and strode into the room. He placed himself gently on the side of the bed and stared at his son.

Adrien was happy… he hoped. It kept him going, just to think that even if he wasn’t his son was. To see Adrien’s smile every morning as he joined him for breakfast was always a star, even in the darkest nights. He had worked so hard just to see that smile, but he wondered whether he could have seen it sooner. If only he had listened to Nathalie, been there for the boy when he needed him the most.

He reached out and pulled the covers down, tucking them underneath his chin. He didn’t want the boy to suffocate during the night. His hand drifted up to Adrien’s hair and he found himself stroking it absentmindedly. The countless hair products he used in his hair guaranteed immeasurable softness and Gabriel found it soothing. He was lingering longer than he should, stalling. He wasn’t sure why, but he knew he was. What he knew was that he didn’t want to face it, whatever ‘it’ may be.

Sighing he lifted the blanket that covered the younger Agreste and slipped underneath. He wrapped his arms around Adrien and pulled the boy closer. Finally, he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is going to turn into a bit of a story. Basically the format is that Nat comes to him every night in his dreams and just casually talks to him, but Gabe is in serious need of a therapist so it's going to become more of, 'So, Mr. Agreste, can you tell me what's wrong?', but with fluff of course.


	3. Dream Two

“Gabriel.”

Her voice was sweet like honey, if there had been a breeze it would have carried the word away. 

His eyes shot open, his vision still blurry from the few hours of sleep he had received. A blotchy version of the woman he loved appeared before him. Carefully sliding his glasses on he soaked in her beauty. 

Normally Nathalie Sancouer would be tired, stressed and sick. That Nathalie was dead, this one was… alive. She was more alive when she was dead than she had been when she was actually alive. 

“Nat,” he replied casually.

They continued to stare at each other in silence, neither making a move to say anymore.

“You look tired,” it wasn’t exactly a question. It was a statement, maybe a warning, he wasn’t sure.

“Well,” he quirked an eyebrow at her mockingly and she rolled her eyes and smiled. 

They both knew that he never got any sleep, he didn’t without Emilie and he didn’t now. He had work, that was his excuse. As long as he could function properly throughout the day the amount of sleep he got didn’t matter.

“Well, Mr. Agreste maybe you should start getting more sleep,” she teased.

He enjoyed this Nathalie. She was free, she didn’t confine herself to her professional poise, instead, she chose to be more free-spirited. This was the Nathalie Sancouer under all the makeup and professionalism, the Nathalie he longed for.

“Maybe I should,” he suddenly went quiet. 

He didn’t know what to say anymore, he didn’t know what to do without her. Nathalie noticed his silence and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

“Gabe,” she looked him in the eyes. Those eyes that he drowned in, never to surface again.

“I don’t know what to do without you Nat. Emilie’s back and I’m supposed to be happy. I’m supposed to be able to go back to my old life and be happy. My family is supposed to be whole again,” he laughed, “This isn’t a family Nat…,” again he went silent, “not without you.”

“You’re going to be okay Gabriel, you both are,” she looked over at Adrien who was still stuck in his slumber.

“How do you know Nathalie? How can everything be okay without you? It wasn’t Emilie holding me up it was you. Nat, I need you, I can’t…” he choked up. Tears filled his eyes.

One of the reasons he wasn’t getting sleep was because he didn’t have an assistant. He had to handle everything by himself and it was taking a toll on him. Of course, Gabriel Agreste could easily hire an assistant, people were literally lining up for the job. To be honest he was scared. He didn’t want to replace her. He didn’t want anyone else to be in his office, working with him besides Nathalie. He was being stupid, he knew that, but like with Emilie he just couldn’t let go. Plus what assistant could come close to Nathalie. She had gone through hell and back for him. She had died for him. 

She rubbed circles on his back and leaned in closer, “Gabe, you’re going to be fine. You always are.”

He wasn’t, he was never fine. It was all a cold facade that he would put on. He would always hide from his true self, because his true self was broken, shattered into a million fragments.

He looked down at his hands, “Nathalie, I love you,” he looked up, but she was gone.

\--//--//--

Adrien woke up to the sound of sobbing. He turned around to see his father. Tears were streaming down his face and his eyes were puffy.

“Father?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nat giving Gabe some therapy. Adrien being the cute selfless little ball of sunshine he is and being worried for his father.


	4. Hawkmoth and Son

“Father are you okay?” Adrien caught his father staring gloomily out of the window of his office. 

Since that morning Gabriel had locked himself away in his office, just like when Emilie had disappeared. He had been even more removed than usual and had hardly uttered a word to neither Emilie nor Adrien the whole day. 

Adrien had managed to slip out of piano practice and gather the courage to push open his father’s office door. He had stepped into the stark white office, taking in a view he had rarely been able to see when his mother was gone. The inside of his father’s hideout was bland, in want of a better word simple. The only objects that adorned the room with some amount of colour were a handful of mannequins that lined the edges of the room, each sporting one of his father’s very best designs. There were a few pictures of him, mostly from modelling shoots, lacking personal touch. He had spotted a simple wooden frame placed on his father’s desk, but it was facing away from him and Adrien didn't dare to look. 

He found his father leaning on the windowsill in deep thought. He hadn’t replied to his question, so Adrien asked again.

“Father? What’s wrong?” Gabriel just lifted a hand a waved him away, as if he was a slave to dismiss. Adrien would have none of it. 

First, he had found his father in his bed, which was a feat in itself. Secondly, he was crying and whenever Adrien had tried to pull it up he would just ignore him as though nothing had happened at all. 

Adrien decided to wander. He quietly walked past his father’s designs and stroked his hand across the silk of a skirt. On a normal day, his father would have scolded him for even being near the designs, but today Gabriel continued to stare through the window. If he had noticed he was doing a good job of ignoring him. 

He walked up to Gabriel’s desk and let his hand dangle and brush it lightly. The desk was immaculate, not a single item astray. Taking his time to take in every single object that lay upon his father’s desk Adrien plopped himself down in Gabriel’s seat. The photo frame he had noticed before held a photo of Nathalie, Gabriel and himself. Adrien was in the middle, beaming away, Gabriel and Nathalie had a hand on each of his shoulders. He could tell Nathalie and his father were both trying not to smile, but failing badly. A small smile was present on both their faces. Adrien was leaning slightly into Nathalie and she was holding him more lovingly then Gabriel was. These little things that he noticed nobody else would, but it was him in that photo with his parents… his parent and their assistant. 

He was surprised to see that the picture wasn’t of his mother, father and himself, but he wasn’t complaining. 

Gabriel solemnly turned and slunk back towards his desk. He lifted his eyes and stopped abruptly at the sight of his son in his chair. 

“Adrien?” Gabriel had thought that Adrien had left the room awhile ago.

“Are. You. Okay?” Adrien said more firmly.

Gabriel sighed and dropped into a smaller chair round the front of his desk. It was funny how the tables had turned. 

“I miss her.”

There was silence after that, none of them wanted to speak. Both of them knew who ‘her’ was and they both missed her. 

“Me too.”

“I want her back.”

“Me too.”

They both knew what they had to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Father and son team up time! I think in the last chapter I said that this would be a therapy session for Gabe, but my fingers kind of just typed and I couldn't stop.


	5. Adrien, your Hawkmoth is showing

“So, uh, what do we have to do?”

There was no need for explanation about their secret personas. The fateful day when his father had told him about the peacock and butterfly miraculous, told him about his half-dead mother, told him about Hawkmoth, told him everything. Gabriel had unmasked Adrien and Marinette in the final battle when he had taken both of their miraculous. 

There had been tears, there had been shouting, there had been pain and hurt and the rift between them had just grown bigger in that time, but they had slowly mended it together. Father and son working together to build the relationship that had crumbled at their feet so long ago. 

Since then Gabriel had returned the miraculous to Adrien and then Marinette via Adrien. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien’s girlfriend and Ladybug still had no idea who Hawkmoth was and she was just grateful that he hadn’t done something rash and taken control of the city.

Now they had to find a way to get the miraculous back from Marinette. Hopefully without alerting her to the identity of Hawkmoth and why they needed the earrings. Adrien knew this would be a feat in its own, but they had to try. For Nathalie’s sake. 

Nathalie had been a mother to him when his own mother hadn’t been there. She had cared for him, looked after his needs, tried to make sure he had a somewhat normal life even without his father or mother present in it. He had trusted her with everything, besides Chat Noir, of course. 

Nathalie had always been there for him, even going so far as to stand up to his father on occasion. She had allowed him to be sent to school, to have this life, to escape his prison of a home. ‘Anything you need, Adrien, just ask,’ she had told him once. She had exceeded expectations, when she had said anything she meant anything, she would go to hell (Gabriel) and back for him. He loved Nathalie like a mother and he had a sneaking suspicion she loved him like a son. He needed her. 

His own mother had never really been in his life, she was always at some shoot halfway across the world. He had once watched her openly flirt with a co-star in an interview. He hadn’t told his father, but he knew that he had most likely seen it already and was desperately trying to suppress rumours. His motherly figure had always been Nathalie, but even more so when his real mother had disappeared.

“You just need to convince Ladybug, Marinette to give you her earrings, the girl can’t keep them on twenty-four seven.”

“You’d be surprised,” Adrien said sarcastically, nodding his head towards Gabriel’s tie, behind which sat the butterfly miraculous.

“I do take it off!” he protested, “It’s rather uncomfortable to sleep with, mind you.”

“It won’t happen. I’d trust her with my miraculous, but it’s not exactly the same with hers,” Gabriel raised his eyebrow, “She’s the guardian now, she has every right to take it from me without explanation, they are basically hers. I’m just Chat Noir. She may give it to me, but she’d milk an explanation out of me first.”

“What kind of girlfriend does that?” Gabriel mumbled, “Pull a ‘You can trust me’ card,” Adrien shook his head. An action that made his blonde curls sway from side to side.

“It won’t work.”

In another circumstance, Gabriel would be fed up. his patience would have run thin by now and he would tell his son to spit it out, but his curiosity got the better of him,” What do you have in mind?” 

Adrien shrugged, “I suppose we are going to have to take it from her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New criminals in town: Chat Noir and Hawkmoth


	6. Chapter 6

“Chat? Why so glum?”

Chat Noir jumped and snapped his head around. He stared at her with wide eyes, as though he was nervous.

“Kitty?”

“Uh, hey! What do you know? I was just, um, waiting for you!”

Smooth Chat. He inwardly rolled his eyes at himself.

“Of course,” she quirked her eyebrow at him but quickly shrugged off whatever doubt she had.

“No Akuma?” he joked.

“Not that I’ve seen,” she replied, still maintaining a concerned look.

“Well then we can relax,” he smiled.

“You okay?” she pushed.

“Always! As long as you’re here Maribug, I’m fine,” he leaned in and gave her cheek a quick peck and pulled her into a hug. She rolled her eyes at him, but he didn’t notice, he was busy staring at her earrings. 

“MARINETTE! ADRIEN!” They both looked down at Alya. She was waving her hands wildly and jumping up and down, desperately trying to get their attention.

Both their identities had been revealed in the big battle and their friends liked showing off to the public, letting everyone know that they knew Ladybug and Chat Noir personally. 

“WE’VE GOT A SHOOT!” Chat frowned.

They had recently agreed with Alya to do some publicity stunts now and again to keep them popular and to get more views for the Ladyblog. He was the one who had liked the idea the best, getting to show off his puns live, but today he just wasn’t into it. 

“WE’LL BE RIGHT THERE!” Ladybug shouted back. 

Alya gave them two thumbs up and ran off. Ladybug turned to her partner and matched the frown on his face. 

“Everything okay?” 

Chat looked up at her, “Uh, yeah. I’m just…” he paused, “yeah, I’m cool. Let’s get going?”

“You got it kitty!” she swung off, leaving Chat to follow and wonder if what they were doing was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long guys! Right now Adrien is really doubting his choice in the last chapter. I want to hear your theories on what's going to happen next!


	7. Chapter 7

“Adrien love, you’re going to be late for school!” his mother's voice was muffled behind the door. 

Whenever he heard that voice or saw that face guilt would wash over him in waves. He loved his mother, he really did, but Nathalie… 

Nathalie was his real mother, the mother that had taken care of him his whole life. Emilie may have brought him into this world, but it was Nathalie that made his world special. He couldn’t do without her, they had grown close and then she was gone. It was almost funny when he thought back, how he took her for granted. You truly don’t know what you've got till its gone. Now they had a chance to bring her back, to right wrongs, but he couldn’t help but think it was somehow wrong in its own way. 

He knew Nathalie wouldn’t have wanted this, she had spent so long trying to get Emilie back in the first place. Now they where undoing everything she had worked for, died for.

‘Oh well,’ he concluded. It wasn’t like it was physically possible to live without Nathalie anyway. Plus he was getting worried about his father. Gabriel had been distant before, but when his mother came back he had become better. However, he was starting to drift and Adrien couldn't lose him again. 

\--//--//--

Gabriel looked out the window at the pearly white moon. Oh, how he'd love to be way up there, to be so far away from his problems. It almost mocked him as it let Paris bask in its glow. His reflection was one of misery, looking back at him was a tired, miserable man, hair greying, bags under his eyes. 

He just couldn’t get sleep anymore. Emilie had started to question him on it. Asking him why he'd leave bed so abruptly in the middle of the night, pad off and take his time to come back if he did at all. She had found him in Adrien’s room on multiple occasions opting on the couch in his office. At one point he had fallen asleep at the window and had been shaken awake by a worried Emilie and greeted by a painful crick in his neck. He couldn't help it, it was her. He’d dream of her. The dreams were becoming so regular he would wait for Nathalie. Often he wondered if he actually was asleep at all, maybe he was sleepwalking or something like that. 

A soft sigh interrupted his thought process. He turned his head slightly to see that Nathalie had come up beside him sometime between him staring at his reflection and then. She leaned delicately against the windowsill and stared out through the glass.

“It’s lovely isn't it,” she whispered softly.

It took him a good few moments to realise what Nathalie was talking about, “Uh, yeah, I guess.”

“I wonder if it knows how beautiful it is.”

“Hmm,” the moon still stared mockingly, taunting him.

Nathalie’s head came to rest on his shoulder and it was his turn to sigh, “Gabriel, your losing sleep over me.”

He frowned, “Well, what can I do? It's your fault for being too attracted to me,” gosh, he was starting to sound like his son.

“No Gabe,” she turned to face him directly, her tone completely serious, “You know why I keep coming and you know you can stop it.”

Gabriel bit his cheek, “No,” he replied firmly, “I need you,” she reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. He tried to avert his eyes, focus on something else, but he soon found himself lost in the blue of hers.

“You need to move on,” Gabriel shook his head. He was acting like a child, “you need to let me go, Gabe.” 

“Nat-”

“Please, let me go. Be happy…” Nathalie suddenly frowned, as if questioning the words that had just come out of her mouth, “try to be happy,” she added softly.

“Not without you-”

Suddenly a glaring light filled his eyes and he had to squint. Emilie stood at the light switch looking at him with deep worry in her eyes.

“Gabriel? Who are you talking to?” 

He expected to see Nathalie next to him, but of course, she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it took me this long to update. Christmas is my excuse. Busy time of year. I might not update at all until early February, really sorry. 
> 
> I have, I think, three other fics that are on the go right now. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them! However, I've got another idea for a really cool fic, so maybe, (if I ever get it out, cause I'm lazy) I'll see you guys there. If not, I'll try to get at least one more chapter for at least one of my fics.


	8. Chapter 8

Another uneventful day on patrols. Another uneventful day in the life of Adrien Agreste. His father hadn’t decided when he would make his move and so Chat Noir was forced to wait for the villain to pounce before he made a move of his own. 

“Well, nothing seems out of the ordinary, I guess we can cut patrols short for today?” She shot him a warm smile, “want to get some ice cream?” 

“Uh, no, I think I’m good Mari,” Ladybug frowned, it was unlike him to refuse food, “I’ve got homework.”

Chat held Ladybug in a tight embrace before letting go and literally walking off the side of the building. He landed with a thud on all fours and recalled his transformation. Adrien walked briskly off towards his mansion looking back a few times to see Ladybug following him from the rooftops but shrugged it off.

He reached the gates and swaggered in, but his swagger was dampened by his mother covering him in kisses when he reached the front door. Adrien gently brushed her off and jumped up the stairs to Gabriel’s office. 

“Hi Father,” the older Agreste was concentrating hard on the design in front of him. He was doing less designing, however, more staring.

“Adrien, take a seat,” he announced nodding his head towards the chair in front of his desk without looking up from his drawing.

“How are we today father?” Adrien attempted.

“Hmm.”

Great attempt. 

Adrien leaned forwards and assessed Gabriel’s drawing. The model in the picture looked suspiciously like Nathalie and the dress she was wearing looked too much like Mayura’s.

“Father?” No matter what he said, Gabriel stayed focused on the design before him. Gritting his teeth Adrien made a quick move and snatched the drawing from in front of him causing his father’s head to snap up and him. 

Now he had his attention.

“Adrien,” Gabriel growled. He tried to snatch the picture from Adrien, but the boy just leaned behind and kept the paper out of reach. With a grunt, Gabriel lept out of his chair and rushed around the desk, but as quickly as he had reached the chair Adrien had been sitting in his son had sprinted away. Adrien waved the paper teasingly over his head.

“Adrien Agreste, give me my design back this instant!” he charged after him.

“No can do, Father!”

The game was on!

Adrien was off with Gabriel close behind shouting curses and threats at his son. Adrien constantly stayed one step ahead and couldn’t help but laugh at his father’s predicament. 

The big oak doors to Gabriel’s office opened wide and Adrien screeched to a halt barely avoiding crashing into them.

“What’s going on?” his mother’s sickly sweet voice entered the room before she did. Walking daintily forward, one foot in front of another, she reached Adrien and plucked the drawing out of his hand. Both Agreste men opened their mouths to protest but a glare from Emilie shut them up immediately.

Emilie’s frown morphed into a look of sadness once she laid her eyes on the drawing. She looked up at Gabriel and sighed. Adrien looked from Emilie to Gabriel and back, confused at the solemn exchange. Emile just let the paper drop and flutter to the ground. 

“Emilie! Wait!” Gabriel rushed after her, but she was gone. He hung his head and put his weight against the door frame sighing. 

Adrien came up behind his father and laid a hand on his shoulder. Gabriel looked over at his son who was offering him a smile, though forced, filled him with warmth. The older Agreste pulled his son into his chest and held him close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emilie's starting to figure out what's going on...


	9. Chapter 9

The shop bell rang softly as Adrien pushed the door open, the sound familiar and comforting to his ears.

“Hi, Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng!’ Adrien called, his trademark smile widening upon his face.

“Adrien, we’ve already told you to call us Tom and Sabine,” the older, muscular man came up to him. He frowned as he said it but his tone was light and Adrien knew he meant well. The Dupain-Chengs could never, never manage to be mean, unless the offence was so great that they were. Then the offence was bad. 

“Sorry,” Adrien’s grin turned sheepish, “Force of habit, I guess.”

Tom exhaled sharply in a soft laugh, “Very well,” the broad man turned toward the kitchen, “Sabine, love, do we have some macrons left? Mr ‘Too Skinny For His Own Good’ is here!”

At the sound of his ‘name’, Marinette came bounding down the stairs, “ADRIEN!”

With the force of a bull running at full speed, Marinette pummelled into Adrien pushing them both to the ground. Adrien landing with a thud the air escaping from his lungs. He looked up at his girlfriend. Her eyes were full with worry and her clutch on his shoulders never faltered as Adrien stood up. 

“Marinette?” both Sabine and Tom said her name with him. Her head snapped around to look at her parents then back to stare into Adrien’s eyes with even more intensity than before. Adrien was still trying to gain his balance from their fall and Marinette pushing against him wasn’t helping. He slowly lifted her hands off his shoulders and brought them down in front of them, squeezing them tightly.

“Mari,” he looked at her with the same amount of fear but tried to keep his voice level, “What’s wrong?”

Marinette glanced back at her parents once again, “Uh, homework… yeah, I need help with homework, I’m really behind and it’s due tomorrow and I don’t understand what the hell x stands for in this damn equation. Also, Ms Butier gave me so much work to do and I don’t know how to word this essay she gave me because it’s really confusing and also… referencing?” She asked as though it was the most confusing part, “It’s so tiring! Oh and Jagged asked me to design some weird outfit for his crocodile! His crocodile! And-” 

Adrien put his hand over Marinette’s mouth to stop her from speaking, “It’s okay, I’ll help. You had us all worried for a moment,” he tried to smile, but he knew there was something more than just homework. He’d known Marinette to have a busy schedule and a heavy workload, she’d always overreact and get really stressed, but the genuine worry in her eyes told Adrien something else was wrong. 

“Great, thanks Adrien,” she yanked on his hand and all but dragged him up the stairs to her room, nearly causing him to lose balance multiple times throughout the short journey up the stairs. 

“Shit,” she didn’t wait for Adrien to get through the doorway, he had to leap out of the way to avoid being caught between the door and the frame. However, her swearing wasn’t for him. She left him where he was standing and started pacing the room. 

“Mari, I’m sure we can get through it together,” Adrien suggested, vaguely, talking about the ‘homework’ and the obvious other problem that hung in the air around his girlfriend. 

\--//--//--

“No, it’s not homework,” she spat, still pacing, “Though I do have a lot,” Marinette added, “Adrien,” she walked to him and came to a stop only inches away. Her face was completely serious and her stern gaze boring into Adrien and she winced slightly as he slunk back, finding her posture condescending, “Tikki’s missing,” Marinette exclaimed softly. Adrien gasped.

“Wait, what?” his frown was deepening by the second, confusion evident on his face. He looked down to the floor and then back up at her, “What do you mean missing?” 

“I don’t, I don’t know, Adrien. I really don’t. I woke up this morning and Tikki’s normally there to wish me a good morning, but she wasn’t there. I thought she had gone out with Plagg but she didn’t come back at all this morning and there was no note.” As she spoke her eyes frantically flitted across the room looking for any clue, anything she might have missed, “I asked the kwami’s,” she loosely gestured to the Miracle box that she had kept out absent-mindedly this morning in her search for Tikki, “They didn’t know where she was either!” Tears stung her eyes and Adrien brought his hand up to her cheek, but she moved away, suddenly feeling vulnerable, “I don’t know what to do Adrien, without Tikki I can’t transform! She might be in trouble! She-” 

Adrien interrupted her, “Marinette, maybe she’s still out with Plagg? She might have forgotten to leave a note? We don’t know. Don’t lose hope, my lady,” Adrien gave her a warm comforting smile, that she just couldn’t shy away from, she managed to smile back. Then she thought of how Tikki would think this moment cute and her frown was back again. 

“Oh, I don’t know?” she threw her hands in the air dramatically. Marinette reached up to her ears and fiddled with the clasp on her earrings. She took them off quickly, the force of her actions causing her ears to start hurting and she knew that they were going red and hot. She placed them roughly on her dresser. And turned back to face Adrien who had been watching her intently, “I’m sorry, Kitty. I won’t be able to join you on patrols tonight.”

Adrien scoffed, “Nonsense, just wear another miraculous, it’ll be fine.” I think it will be good for you to clear your head before we start looking for Tikki,” her boyfriend walked up to her and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Marinette turned and walked to her window, choosing instead to gaze outside at the Parisian landscape.

“Mari,” Adrien said softly. She had always loved the way he said her name. She hummed in response, “I’ve got to go.” Marinette turned around. Adrien held his phone in his hand and was frowning at the screen, “I’m sorry, mother’s asking for me.” 

“Right, of course,” she replied sadly, not wanting him to leave her, “Is she recovering well?” 

“Yes,” Adrien smiled but it quickly dropped, “I, I’m not sure,” he looked at Marinette, “but that’s not important right now,” the boy chuckled sadly, “I’ll let myself out,” Adrien walked to the door, “Love you, Mari. We’ll find her don’t you worry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am back. Yes, it's gonna get serious. Yes, Adrien is too skinny for his own good.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien's POV also Plagg

“No, it’s not homework,” his girlfriend said pointedly, the venom in her voice, though not directed at him made him wince, “Though I do have a lot,” she paused. Marinette looked over at him and started forward walking straight at him, “Adrien,” she came to a stop only inches away from him and he willed himself not to take a cautious step back. However, he couldn’t help but shrink under her stern gaze, “Tikki’s missing,” Marinette exclaimed softly. Time to put on a show, he thought. On cue, he gasped acting surprised at the revelation. 

  
  
  


“Wait, what?” Adrien made a point to frown, like really frown, and act very confused. His mother was a great actor and had taught him a few tricks of the trade, “What do you mean missing?” he said it quickly as if to say ‘I’m surprised’ and ‘this can’t be true’ not slow meaning, ‘I know something you don’t’ or ‘I think I know why’. 

  
  
  


“I don’t, I don’t know, Adrien. I really don’t,” Marinette grew more and more stressed by the second as she explained what led her to believe Tikki was missing that morning. She looked around the room continuously, as if her eyes could magically make Tikki appear. “I asked the kwami’s,” she pointed to the Miracle box, which Adrien was surprised to see left, so casually out in the open, like it was some piece of useless plastic, “They didn’t know where she was either!” She looked like she was on the verge of tears and Adrien brought his hand up to her cheek once again surprised as she flinched and turned her head away. Marinette seemed to be full of surprises today, “I don’t know what to do Adrien, without Tikki I can’t transform! She might be in trouble! She-” 

  
  
  


Adrien didn’t want to listen to her rambling, but he felt a twinge of guilt at the thought, “Marinette, maybe she’s still out with Plagg? She might have forgotten to leave a note? We don’t know. Don’t lose hope, my lady,” Adrien smiled at her, half the truth. All the best lies were based on truth. He couldn’t help but think that he was acting like his father. For a moment Marinette smiled back at him, but her smile quickly turned, back upside down. 

  
  
  


“Oh, I don’t know?” the girl threw her hands in the air and trodded off to her dresser, taking off her earrings roughly in the process. Adrien watched with interest. She was taking off her earrings, this just made it easier for him. She then all but threw the pair on the dresser and turned back towards him. “I’m sorry, Kitty. I won’t be able to join you on patrols tonight.” 

  
  
  


No that wouldn’t do. He scoffed, “Nonsense, just wear another miraculous, it’ll be fine. I think it will be good for you to clear your head before we start looking for Tikki,” he swaggered up to Marinette being careful not to glance at the miraculous that lay so vulnerably within his grasp. He instead placed a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder and looked deep into her eyes. He hoped against hope that this would work and that he was doing the right thing. She wouldn’t get harmed. He vowed that she wouldn’t get harmed. After a moment Marinette walked off to her window and was quiet. Now was his chance. 

  
  
  


Adrien grabbed the miraculous off the dresser, making sure that they didn’t scrape against the surface and make a sound. He took out the replica earrings from his back pocket and made sure that the doppelganger looked the same as the real thing. He placed them on the dresser, cautiously arranging them so that they were placed the same as when she took them off. Pocketing the now real earrings, he let a smile escape from his poise. He whipped out his phone and turned it on. Looking down at the blank screen, showing only his wallpaper and the time, he frowned and called out, “Mari,” she hummed in response, “I’ve got to go.” Marinette turned around and Adrien clutched his phone tighter, but looked back down at the screen hoping she would fall for it, “I’m sorry, mother’s asking for me.” 

  
  
  


“Right, of course,” there was a wistful tone to her voice, but he ignored it. It would only bring him more guilt, “Is she recovering well?” 

  
  
  


“Yes,” He smiled. Then he realised that no, she wouldn’t be here soon if they succeeded. He frowned, “I, I’m not sure,” he looked at Marinette, “but that’s not important right now. I’ll let myself out,” Adrien walked to the door, “Love you, Mari,” would he betray her if he did? “We’ll find her don’t you worry.”

  
  
  


He strode out of the room quickly, wanting to get away from the lies as quickly as possible. He was anxious to get back to his father, “Bye Tom and Sabine!”

  
  
  


“Adrien?” Sabine looked at him and frowned, an expression that rarely graced the woman’s face, “You’ve only been 10 minutes, is something wrong?” the protective mother glanced up towards her daughter’s room and Adrien couldn’t help but be amazed at how much the woman cared.

  
  
  


“No, no. Not at all. I just- my mother’s fallen ill quite suddenly. Her quick recovery was obviously false hope,” he tried to feel sad, but no tears would come, so instead, he thought about Nathalie’s death and he found, that sadness came easily. Should I feel guilty about that too? “Please don’t tell Marinette, I don’t want her to worry. She’s already got so much on her plate.”

  
  
  


“Oh, Adrien,” Sabine came forwards and hugged him tightly, “It’ll be alright. Your father will make sure of it, knowing how stubborn he can be.”

  
  
  


Adrien chuckled, “You have no idea.” 

  
  
  


“Well then, how about you take some macrons home for your mother?” she strode over to the display cabinet that held the macrons. Not waiting for Adrien’s reply, she took out a generous helping of various different flavours, put them in a baby pink box and handed it to him. 

  
  
  


“Thanks,” Adrien tried his best to try to, try to smile… it was hard, but he managed to make it convincing enough. He left the bakery, transformed and swung back to the mansion.

  
  
  
  


\--//--//--

  
  


4:30 AM THAT SAME DAY

“Tikki, Tikki!” Plagg whispered harshly. 

  
  
  


“Hmm?” the red kwami hummed softly in her sweet little voice that always made Plagg’s heart melt like hot cheese.

  
  
  


“Sugarcube, wake up!”

  
  
  


“Plagg?” Tikki pulled the covers down beneath her chin and looked up at her godfriend (boyfriend), “What are you doing here. What’s the time?” 

  
  
  


“I’m here to take you on a date!” Plagg proclaimed, still whispering. Adrien had informed him about the plan to bring Nathalie back and though Plagg had made a show off being appalled at the fact that they were going to steal the miraculous off Ladybug, he silently agreed. Nathalie had been nice, the nicest person there was to his kitten. The only person in the wretched mansion that ever took care of him, so he agreed. Adrien had asked Plagg to take Tikki out, not to tell her why, but make sure that she didn’t alert Marinette. That part was only so Adrien would have an excuse to take the earrings, or at least ‘examine them’. 

  
  
  


“A date?!” Tikki almost shouted but remembered Marinette, who was sleeping just across the room, “At 4:30 in the morning?” 

  
  
  


“Uh… yeah?” Plagg said sheepishly, but he remembered, this was all part of the plan.

  
  
  


“This better be good,” his godessfriend (girlfriend) grunted her tiny arms folded over her chest.

  
  
  


“What do you think of  Alpha Centauri?” Plagg grinned devilishly.

  
  
  


“Are you mad? That’s 4 or so lightyears away!” Tikki’s eyes went wide.

  
  
  


“Darling, I think you’ve been exposed to humans for far too long. We are gods you know. It’ll take us 2 hours.”

  
  
  


“Oh. Right. I forgot.”

  
  
  


“What do you say Sugarcube? We’ll spend the day and will be back before sunset.”

  
  
  


“Oh okay, you rascal. I doubt you’d have taken no for an answer anyway,” Tikki flew around him and started looking for something on Marinette’s dresser.

  
  
  


“Whatcha looking for, love?”

  
  
  


“Pen and paper, I have to leave Marinette a note or she’ll worry.”

  
  
  
  


“Oh, nonsense,” Plagg flew up to her and twirled her around, dipping her before pulling her back up to face him. She giggled, “Marinette will have to give you off to the next Ladybug and then what? She can do a day without knowing where you are,” Tikki pouted and Plagg found it supremely cute, “And where’s the fun in keeping to the rules, huh?”

  
  
  


Tikki sighed, “She’s going to kill me, Plagg. But Alpha Centauri might just make up for it,” she gave him an equally cheeky grin, “Okay you lump of stinky cheese, what are you waiting for?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plagg's a rebel, but a rebel with a cause.  
Also, Alpha Centauri is a reference from Good Omens if anyone has watched that.


	11. Chapter 11

“Adrien?” Gabriel blinked when he heard a sound from the other side of the door to the atelier. He lifted his gaze from the sketch he was currently drawing on his tablet to the big black doors. He had been impatiently awaiting Adrien. They needed to do this quickly. Instead, Emilie waltzed in. 

“Gabriel,” her sickly sweet voice pierced his ears and made a conscious effort not to wince, “I want to talk to you about something,” He knew exactly what she wanted to talk to him about. He. Did. Not. Want. To.

“I’d rather not, Em,” he replied with his own deep foreboding voice, a complete contradiction to her own.

“Well, too bad because it’s important,” she gestured to the white couch and lounge chair that sat in the middle of the room. Nathalie had persuaded him to buy it. She had pointed out that it was inconvenient and impractical to walk in between rooms just for him to take a seat. He had said it was fine and waved her off but she smartly countered, saying that if she collapsed it was easier for her to lie down right there instead of Gabriel taking her all the way those, ‘absurdly large’, as she had put it, stairs. In the end, she was always right, but, of course, being Gabriel he wanted the last word and told her that they could have the couch if she picked it out herself. She was more than happy to. He wasn’t complaining, it was a good choice. 

Gabriel grunted out a ‘fine’ and followed Emilie to the couch. 

“So?” he offered before taking a seat opposite her. He didn’t think he could bear sitting next to his wife when they were going to be talking about Nathalie. 

Emilie inhaled deeply, “Nathalie,” it wasn’t a threat, she had just said her name, her tone flat and even, but Gabriel couldn’t help but think of it as one and if he was honest feel slightly threatened. 

“Yes,” he wasn’t sure where this conversation was going but neither were contributing much. 

“You love her,” she paused, “don’t you?” she added the last question as if hoping he didn’t. They hadn’t spoken to each other about the drawing and about his obvious feelings for her. At first, he had assumed, gratefully that she hadn’t noticed yet. However, the sheer amount of times Gabriel had slipped up in front of Emilie was too hard to ignore and he knew without a doubt that she was aware. 

Gabriel swallowed hard, “Yes,” there was no point in hiding his feelings anymore or even avoiding the topic, “Yes, I do.”

“And you don’t love me?” Emilie didn’t sound sad or disappointed, her tone was even and controlled. 

It was much harder to blatantly say that he didn’t in front of her than it was to say it to Adrien. He knew the truth, she knew the answer to her own question, but he so desperately did not want to vocalise it. Gabriel clenched and unclenched his jaw, staring down a spot on the tiled floor. He gripped the suede of the lounge chair tightly. 

“Do you?” her tone was sharper now, more forceful.

“No,” he looked up at his wife. She was staring at him with the same glare that he had on the floor, however, a glint of sadness and disappointment betrayed her. He had become good at detecting emotions with the aid of the butterfly miraculous but found that even without it he was more than able to notice even slight changes in emotion, “I’m so-” he started but Emilie cut him off.

“Shut it,” she replied curtly, “Look,” she stood up so that now, from his position seated, she was towering over him, “I know I shouldn’t be angry. Both of you did, sacrificed, so much to get me back and I’m eternally grateful, but I’m your wife, Gabriel. I. Am. Your. Wife,” she jabbed at her chest. Gabriel winced, “I don’t know what you two did when I wasn’t there, I guess it’s only natur-”

Now it was Gabriel’s turn, “I did nothing with her! If I had felt anything towards her back then, you wouldn’t be here!” He knew it was a lie. He had felt affection towards her long before they had revived Emilie, however, he took small pleasure from seeing her grimace at his words.

“Fine, it was a ‘platonic’ relationship while I was away,” she said as if she had just gone on a short vacation and had not fallen into a coma instead, “What am I supposed to do though? My husband loves someone else. Worse, he loves a woman that’s bloody dead!” she flung her hands over her head dramatically in question. 

“I saved you. I went through hell to save you. No, Nathalie did. All I did was stand-in the attic and create minions to do my bidding,” Gabriel stood, slightly guilty of the anger that was flowing through him, but only slightly, “She put that damned miraculous on.”

“I know-”

“Gosh, you know what? She was so bad that she’d have probably fallen into a coma anyway even if we hadn’t saved you!” it was the harsh reality, he thought solemnly. She would have. She was coughing up blood and vomiting by the time they had stolen the miraculous, she had no energy to get back to her bed let alone fight Ladybug and Chat Noir, he sighed and fell back down into the chair, “I’m sorry but I love her. It’s a fact, I can’t change it. Divorce me, whatever, I don’t care, but I don’t think I can really get over her,” he had thought said the same thing about Emilie once upon a time, but this was different, Nathalie was different, “She sacrificed her bloody life, for you!” 

“No,” Emilie frowned down at him, “she didn’t do it for me.”

With that, she walked out of the room leaving Gabriel alone. 

So utterly alone.


	12. Chapter 12

“Father!” Adrien called as he sprinted through the doors of the atelier. He had so much adrenaline pent up inside him. So many emotions. Was this how Father felt when he wore the butterfly miraculous? He was scared. Scared that Marinette would find out that the earrings were fake and that she’d realise that he had done it. She’d come after him and she’d hate him for the rest of their lives. He was angry. Angry at his father for putting him through this. For picking up the butterfly miraculous and trying to get his mother back, because of him they were stuck in this mess. He felt guilt. He was supposed to be a superhero, he was meant to protect Paris, not side with the villain. He was sad. Sad because Nathalie wasn’t with them, but also excited because if all went well, she would be.

Adrien tried to focus on the latter. The sadness because she wasn’t there and then the future when she will be. It motivated him to push aside the guilt that wound around his neck like a scarf, threatening to choke him. When Nathalie came back everything would be better. He focused on her, on the memories they had shared, on the moments she was there for him when nobody else was. He had taken her for granted. He had asked too much of her. She had faced his father and persuaded him to let him go to school, he wouldn’t have friends if it weren’t for her, he wouldn't have had a life. But he would bring her back. He would make it up to her. He would show her he cared just as much for her as she had for him. 

He found his father sitting, or rather, flopping on the couch in the middle of the atelier. One hand was resting on the sofa, playing with the fabric and clenching and unclenching the glasses in his palm. The other he rested his head on, the thumb massaging his temple and index finger just resting on the forehead. From underneath his hand, he looked off into the distance, his cold gaze fixed on the equally cold marble floor. He looked undoubtedly solemn. His brow furrowed and his jaw squared. However, as soon as he heard Adrien his head snapped up, a newfound hope appearing in his eyes. 

“Have you got them?” 

“Would I ever let you down?” Gabriel fixed him with a disappointed look and Adrien shut his mouth. His father wasn’t exactly in the mood for jokes, “Yeah I got them,” The older man visibly relaxed as the breath he was holding was exhaled. 

“Good,” he replied simply and lifted himself, with surprising dignity for a dishevelled man, off the couch. Gabriel turned, sidestepping around the piece furniture and walked briskly toward the back wall. With each step, he sped up a little and the length in between steps became larger. Soon he was at the wall and gesturing for Adrien to follow suit. Adrien didn’t bother walking, instead, he jogged towards his father. 

“Let’s get Nathalie back,” Adrien slipped off his ring and handed it to his father who received it with a curt nod. Adrien then pulled the ladybug miraculous out of his pocket and handed it over. Gabriel could almost feel the energy reverberating through them, especially now that they were so close to one another. They had researched how the kwamis worked without the miraculous wielder wearing the jewellery and were pleasantly surprised to find that they could indeed exist outside the miraculous without the holder wearing it. He hoped Plagg would keep Tikki safe. The kwami, with luck, would stick to the plan and not go rogue on them. 

Gabriel focused intensely on the buttons he had to depress to get the elevator working. He couldn’t bear to look at the painting. Her big green eyes that stared ahead into the distance seemed to be staring right down at him and judging every move he made. He was almost afraid that Emilie was somehow watching them through the painting and would come crashing through the atelier doors any second to question them on what they were doing. Guilt coursed through him, but he carried on, 

He couldn’t be sure of what she implied exactly. He wasn’t sure of what message she had been trying to get across in their conversation, but she was rather ambiguous and equivocal. He strained to understand. Did she know? Was she aware that they were swapping her life for Nathalie’s? However, if she did she hadn’t directly told him so or told him that she didn’t want that either. Why would she let him throw her life away, knowingly too?

Adrien stepped towards his father as the lift opened up. Father and son were slowly pressed closer together as they were lowered down the hole, meant for one. Adrien leant his head on his father’s chest and wrapped his arms around his waist, but Gabriel didn’t return the loving gesture. Instead, he was lost in his thoughts, his mind still fixated on his talk with Emilie.

She had said that Nathalie had not done it for her. For Adrien maybe, definitely not for him. He’d have noticed by then… right? He was the wielder of the butterfly miraculous of course. He couldn’t be that obtuse. 

He had gotten angry when she had accused him and Nathalie of having a relationship behind her back. How could he not? It wasn’t fair. After years of being loyal to her, only to have her come back and accuse him of having an affair. He deserved better, he countered with the side of him that told him that such an assumption was only natural. He had worked hard, day in day out, Nathalie more so. What would have happened if he had stopped and not carried out with the promise, he could only imagine. He had told Nathalie, given her false hope, that he would stop. But the promises were damned the moment he made them. Annoyingly, he reflected, an opportunity would always come up just after. Then he’d spiral again. He could have settled down with Nathalie long ago if it weren’t for the promise that he had made to Emilie. If, of course, that's what she wanted too. 

He suddenly realised that maybe she didn’t love him, that his feelings for her may not be mutual. He only dreamed of her, dreamed that she loved him too, but that was all it was, a dream, ones that seemed very real, but still a dream. 

He felt the warmth of Adrien’s hug suddenly withdraw and he snapped his attention back to the matter at hand. He watched as Adrien all but ran towards the coffin at the other end of the room, the motion sensors not fast enough to turn on before he sped past and Adrien ran into the darkness as the lights slowly followed him. Gabriel remembered, guiltily, that Adrien had not seen Nathalie at all after Hawkmoth had won. He hadn’t seen the corpse. Not a corpse, he reminded himself, she was in a coma, not dead. 

He was vaguely surprised that Adrien hadn’t lashed out against him. His son was being unusually calm about the matter. He knew that if he was in Adrien’s shoes he’d have run away a long time ago, maybe added in a few punches before he left. However, he was grateful. His son was kind, loving, he had gotten that from Nathalie and Emilie, maybe even him, once upon a time. 

“When you summon the kwamis they should be blipped from where they are now to you. You’ll make the wish and I’ll take the miraculous back to Ladybug’s house and then join her on patrols,” Gabriel nodded. They had gone over the plan many times, he knew it off by heart, “Tikki and Plagg shouldn’t be able to disclose information on what happened here to anyone but you or me. So in the end Ladybug won’t know,” Adrien looked over to his father worriedly. That was the plan. Hopefully, it would be followed through with no complications, “The story will be that Nathalie has returned from her extended vacation at the Agreste holiday home-”

“And the staff will be paid greatly for their silence on the matter,” Gabriel added. Adrien nodded.

“Mother’s recovery was delusive and she will ‘pass’ in a week's time to avoid suspicion,” the boy paused, “have I missed anything?”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed in thought, “Your surprise for Ladybug?”

“All sorted.”

“Good then, we can proceed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly done! Hopefully I can wrap this up in the next chapter.


End file.
